Right Women, Right Now

Mission

The Republican State Leadership Committee’s (RSLC) Right Women, Right Now (RWRN) initiative serves to identify, recruit, train and support new women state-level candidates nationwide in order to help elect more Republican leaders who better embody the electorate of our country, where women are 53 percent of the voters. RWRN offers candidate trainings, mentorship matchings and digital organizing tools for our candidates’ campaigns for state-level office. Since its founding in 2012, RWRN has recruited hundreds of women candidates, elected 665 new women to office and continues working to grow the largest caucus of Republican elected women in the country.

Facts

The 2017-2018 midterm cycle was a historic year for female candidates as 1,000 Republican female candidates filed for down-ballot offices across the country and the Right Women, Right Now initiative played an integral role in supporting these Republican candidates. In conjunction with the Future Majority Project, the RSLC invested over $8 million to help recruit and support down ballot candidates that are diversifying the representation of the Republican Party in the states.

This past midterm cycle saw many female candidates break barriers in their states with their elections including South Carolina Lt. Governor Pamela Evette, the first female Republican lieutenant governor in state history; Idaho Lt. Governor Janice McGeachin, the first female lieutenant governor of either party in her state; and Florida Lt. Governor Jeanette Nuñez, the first Hispanic female Lieutenant Governor and statewide elected official in her state’s history.

Right Women, Right Now successes occurred at the state legislative level in 2018 as well with the victories of Alaska Representatives Sarah Vance and Sara Rasmussen, who flipped two Democrat held seats in the chamber; Rhode Island Senator Jessica De La Cruz, who flipped a Democrat held seat and became the first female, diverse Republican Senator in the state; and Oregon Representative Christine Drazan, who was featured on the RSLC’s “18 in ’18: Races to Watch” list.

In the 2015-2016 election cycle, RWRN shattered its recruitment goal of 500 candidates by identifying and recruiting 690 new, women candidates to run for state-level office. RWRN saw 163 of those candidates appointed or elected in 37 states. In partnership with the RSLC’s Future Majority Project (FMP), which aims to elect candidates from all diverse communities, RWRN invested $7 million to see these candidates elected.

During the 2013-2014 cycle, RWRN invested $6 million in partnership with the RSLC’s Future Majority Project (FMP) to elect 138 new women to state-level office. Overall they identified and recruited 558 candidates before primaries in 45 states.

In the 2012 cycle, RWRN identified and recruited 185 new Republican women candidates from 36 states, elected 84 new Republican women to state office and invested more than $5 million in support of women and diverse candidates – in partnership with FMP.

Importance

A 2011 study by professors Jennifer Lawless and Richard Fox reveals that among several reasons why more women do not run for public office, not being asked is one of them. The gender gap that exists in recruiting favors men over women by 7 to 10 percentage points. We must change this. Whether the suggestion to run comes from someone outside of politics or someone inside, more men than women are being encouraged to seek public office. Republican leaders need to do a better job of encouraging, supporting and training new and different candidates for office.Right Women, Right Now will continue to find women in communities across the nation, encourage and support their run for state office and put them on the path to elected leadership.

STAY CONNECTED WITH THE RSLC

Contributions to the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) are not tax deductible. Contributions may be used for activities of the RSLC and its affiliated state PAC’s at the RSLC’s discretion. The RSLC does not accept earmarked contributions. Contributions from foreign nationals are not solicited or permitted. To view the RSLC’s donor disclosures, visit the IRS website here.